The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-12-10
MEN IN PETTiCoATs.
A Dream Of what May Come TO Pass in the
NOt blatant Future.

Not Distant Future.
There Is q great thought, brilliant
Industrial suggestion, in the case of
Frank King, otherwise Kitty Russell,
who has been forced, according to the
young persons own story, to adopt
woman's garb and go out to work as
housemaid and waitress in order to
make living. Mr.. Frank King says
that he had money enough to live on,
without work, up to n year ago. Then
circumstances compelled him to go TO
work. He could find no work to do as
man, but he observed that there was
always all unsupplied demand for fe-
male domestic help. If the work
would not come to Frank King, Frank
King would go to the work; and, as
his face was smooth and his stat
ure moderate, and as short hair
is fashionable, he had no difficulty in
Disgusting himself in woman's clothes
and getting situation. The scrutiny
of likely-looking servant girls, as every
body knows. is not keen. The advent
of any kind Of girl at all is, in cer-
tain unlucky households, especially
suburban households, q matter for ex-
ceeding rejoicing Kitty Russell says,
however, that she was compelled to fly
from one place to another to avoid de-
lection; and at last. having located
with family in Chelsea. where she
was regarded as u perfect jewel, she
was indiscreet enough, having fond
ness for the military, to go out and see
the parade of the First regiment, and
was pounced upon and arrested by a
sharp-eyed policeman, who detected
her disguise, so that here, for time at
least, Kitty Russeli's promising indus
trial career was brought to close.
There is n suggestion in this affair.
1t ought to be plain enough what it is.
There are thousands of men, we are
told, who can not find work to do.
There are many more thousands of
women who will not do housework.
Now, of these thousands of men there
are a majority, beyond doubt, who
might make themselves quite handy at
housework, or at least good deal
handler than nothing at all. Let these
poor wretches without employment be
"driven to petticoats, as Mr.. Frank
King was. To petticoats-that is, If it
is regarded as necessary to keep up a
fiction of femininity; but in order to
spare the stalwart maids-of-all-work
such episodes as Kittie Russell was sub
iected to when she went out to see the
soldiers, and to keep within the law,
the petticoats might be only mere
perfunctory, rudimentary one-a sort
of Albanian fustanella, neatly disposed
over Michaels neat but ample panta-
looms. Perhaps a function and legiti-
mate opportunity for the divided skirt
may be found at last in this suggested
industrial movement. The sex of the
new servants might be still further dis
guised little, without being denied,
by adding y feminine termination to the
well-known masculine name.
One can imagine an interesting do
, mestic scene under this new regime.
"Michaella!" the mistress calls.
"Michaella!"
Enter Michaella, the second girl, in a
, neat suit consisting of u calico jacket,
short starched nainsook pettcoat, and
coarse checked trousers over cowhide
= boots. Her boots make something of a
: clatter as she comes in over the hard
3 wood floor of the hall, and her mistress
eyebrows knit Il little.
"Michaella," she says. Il must eau
+ tion you again to walk little more
, softly. What! Your mustache still il
, curl papers at this hourp And please
do not come 100 near. for am afraid
.. shall discover that you have been smok.
ing again, and do not want to adj
minister too many reprimands at once. v
"Yis'm (with GRIM. Fwhat is i,
ye want, mum?"
go down and tell Patricia that
, want to see her,"
Exit Michaella, tiptoeing painfully
,, along the floor, and exhibiting van
ishing perspective of broad boot heels
Enter presently Patricia in costume
somewhat resembling Michaella's, will
the difference that the petticoat is Of
! gingham in large pattern, and the
trail of the kitchen is over it all. Pa
tricia's football is even more emphati,
, than Michaella's, and its measured
, "calump. calump," crescendo, gives
. abundant notice of her coming.
. "Perhaps, Patricia" says the mis-
: tress, as the cook scrapes rough CHR
, and makes an exceedingly awkward
! courtesy. "those frayed pantaloons may
be good enough for rough work arounf
, the kitchen and shed in the morning
:. but l wouldn't wear them all day.
/ Have you begun the preparations fol
r dinner. Patricia"
,, "Yis, mum. Ihave put the bread to
i bile. mum, and the bafeshteak to bake
-n
o Fury and explosion on the part o
y mistress. Such contretemps. it is fail
:, to assume. would be but infrequent un
der the new industrial regime. Even
now they rise occasionally in the best.
;. regulated domestic interiors. The ides
8 is presented merely for what it is worth
II Boston Transcript.
v A Railway Tie Nursery.
q "A notable phase of railway industry